What Next?
by NCISLover6
Summary: This is my first NCIS fanfic...so I hope you all enjoy. It takes place at the end of Truth and Consequences. Tiva eventually. Please let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Welcome Back

Once the elevator doors opened and they stepped out everyone was waiting for them. As they made it to the bullpen everyone started clapping for them. Ziva was stunned by everyone's acceptance of her being alive and back. She didn't deserve these people in her life. She now knew what it truly meant to be apart of a family. For these people had become more her family than her real family. Abby was careful not to squeeze Ziva to hard when she hugged her but was so happy she was home. Even though she was aware of everyone's eyes on her the only person she could look at was him. How after everything they had been through he could still look at her like that, she didn't understand. After several minutes everyone started heading home for the night, when Ziva realized she had no where to go. Her apartment had been blown up before she went back to Israel. Gibbs read her mind before she even spoke and told her she was going home with him. When she put up no protest everyone realized how badly she had been effected by the whole situation. The team knew this was not the same Ziva that had left them but that with time she would come back to them. She had lost her spunk, which made them realize that if it had be anyone else they would not have still been alive. Abby rounded Ziva up some essentials and then Gibbs took her to his house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Ziva's POV

Ziva is glad they came to rescue her but can't figure out why they did. The last time she saw them they believed she was hiding things from them. She especially couldn't figure out why Tony came. After everything that happened between them and got said between them the last time they saw each other, Ziva thought he would be the last person to rescue her. They came even though they believed her to be dead. Why? She had so many questions that needed to be asked but didn't know where to begin. The one person she needed to talk to first is Tony is the one who can answer the questions she has, he is the one person, she's not sure how to talk to. She is holding on to her anger even though she realized that he was only looking out for her, she knows he would never hurt her. What she doesn't understand is Tony's answer "Couldn't live without you, I guess". After months of being tortured, she had accepted she would die there but she is really glad she is alive and back in DC with her family. She had months to think about everything and knows that she was never really in love with Michael, she used him as a way to hide for her real feelings, to push away the one person in her life she couldn't bare to be used by. She knows her father betrayed her because he felt she was more loyal to NCIS than to Mossad and him. Also, that despite everything they have been through she is and has been in love with Tony all along.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Tony's POV

Tony can't believe it, he thought he was going on a mission for vengeance, but it turned into a rescue mission. He can't believe it. She's alive. Ziva's alive. She is still just as beautiful as she was before. He can't take his eyes off her, its so unreal to have her here. He realized she is probally still mad at him but he can't help himself, he's happy she's alive. He won't kid himself, there is still a lot they need to work out, a lot of things to be said and he saw all the questions in her eyes but she's alive and here which makes him glad he refused to give up and push for the mission. They get their second chance to talk everything through and gain back some form of their old friendship. Tony knows that's the least he can hope for even though he knows deep down he will always hope for more, even if he never gets it. The past few months made him realize he can't live without her because he is and has been in love with her all along. It kills him that they did this to her. He wishes he could have been the one to kill the bastards who tortured her. But despite it all he is happy she is home and he can try to straighten out the mess he made. He will give her time, he won't push her, he knows the past few months have been hell for her, he knows she is broken in some ways, but he will take it slow and be there for her because she is his crazy ninja chick after all.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Gibb's House

Gibbs knew she had been through hell and back but he hated seeing her like this. Ziva is tough and can handle herself, she is like a daughter to him. She is determined and strong willed but right now she is withdrawn and silent. The car ride from the Navy yard to his house was a silent one. Once they arrived he showed her the room she would be staying in and where the bathroom was. After he made sure she didn't need anything he went down to the basement to work on his boat. After Ziva took a long shower and felt she had washed away all the grim, dirt, and filth she got dressed and went to the basement. He was down there working on his boat just as she knew he would be. After a few minutes she looked at him and said "there's some things I need to say." Gibbs stopped and just watched and waited for her to begin.

Ziva: "I did not betray you Gibbs or the team I should have never asked you to choose. When you left Isreal, I should have been on that plane."

Gibbs: "I never should of left you behind. You and DiNozzo would have worked out your problems eventually. He was only watching your six, you know."

Ziva: "I know that now. He was protecting me. I wanted to ask you if I could come back to NCIS and be on your team again."

Gibbs: " Yes you can but you need to talk to DiNozzo before you come in on Monday."

Ziva: "I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. I hurt him and said some pretty bad things to him. I don't know if he can forgive me."

Gibbs: "He was never mad at you."

Ziva: " Thanks for rescuing me, Gibbs."

Gibbs: " Thank Tony. He headed up the mission and came up with the game plan. Just talk to him. Oh and Ziva."

Ziva: "Yeah"

Gibbs: "Abby's on her way over for a sleepover."

Ziva then heads upstairs to think about everything that has happened in the last several hours. About twenty minutes later Abby comes running through the door, suitcase in hand, followed by Ducky, McGee, Palmer, and Tony. The last arrival seems to be trying not to run over and hug her like the excited forensic scientist did. Abby hollers down into the basement for Gibbs to come up. Once Gibbs appears Abby announces they are having a dinner party to welcome Ziva back properly. Abby's impromptu dinner party consisted of ording pizzas and ice cream she made McGee go pick up. Ziva enjoyed seeing everyone. She spent time with Ducky and Palmer. She thanked McGee for coming to rescue her. While she spoke to and spent time with everyone she tried to ignore him. Tony spent most of the party watching her but kept his distance, even if it hurt because he figured she would speak when she was ready. After they finished up their ice cream Tony couldn't take it anymore so he made an excuse and left. Not long after that Ducky and Palmer left, Gibbs went back to his basement, and McGee made Abby promise to call him tomorrow so they could go to lunch before he left. That left Ziva and Abby


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Girl Talk

After they cleaned up Gibb's kitchen and living room, Ziva and Abby went up to Gibb's extra bedroom. Ziva could tell something was on Abby's mind but she couldn't tell what it was so she asked her.

Ziva: "What's on your mind Abby?"

Abby: "How could you talk to everyone in the house but him? Do you have any idea how hurt he must feel? I know you two had problems before you left but did you notice the differences in him? When he thought you were dead it was like he had died too. We would talk to him but he wouldn't hear a thing we said. Even before that when you just didn't come back, he quit being Tony. He didn't make movie references, didn't joke around, he went back to drinking heavily again, it was worse than when Jeanne died or when Jenny died. We knew he would bounce back from that but with you gone, it was like he had just given up, he even had Gibbs worried about him. So why won't you talk to him?"

Ziva: "Abby I can't talk to him yet. I accused him of so much because I was angry. But I had a lot of time to think these past few months, I know he was just protecting me and I need to apologize to him and to thank him. I owe him so much. I also realized the reason I was so angry at him was because despite everything he is the only man to find a way past all my walls and worm his way into my heart."

Abby: "So what are you saying?"

Ziva: "I'm saying I am in love with Tony and have been for a while. I just didn't want to acknowledge it."

Abby: (squeals and hugs Ziva) "I knew it. This is so great. Now you can be together and everything will be good again."

Ziva: "Abby, hold on. I don't know if he can forgive me or if he even reciprocates my feelings for him. Then there's Gibb's rule # 12 in our way also."

Abby: "How could you not see it. Ziva if he didn't love you, he wouldn't have gone to Africa if he thought you were dead. He knew the risk going there but he volunteered to go and drug McGee along. If you were dead, he didn't care if he made it out or not. Don't you see he does love you Ziva. I forgot about Gibb's rule."

Gibbs is walking by and hears the conversation. He steps into the room.

Gibbs: "I think we can throw rule # 12 out. Now go to sleep you two."

After a few minutes everyone is in bed asleep except for Ziva. She is scared to go to sleep, scared of the nightmares but doesn't want them to see her like this. So she decides to read a book. Across town Tony is sitting in his apartment on the couch drinking himself into sleep, with McGee watching him from the chair, worrying about his friend, trying to figure out what to do.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 The Next Day

The next morning Gibbs and Abby woke up to the sound of Ziva in the kitchen cooking breakfast for them. While they found this odd, they didn't say anything. When they get downstairs they sit down and eat in silence. Nobody's sure what to say. While Gibbs and Abby are helping Ziva clean up the kitchen, Abby's cell phone rings. Abby answers it and puts it on speaker phone.

Abby: "Hey Timmy."

McGee: "Hey Abs."

Abby: "What time do you want to go for lunch?"

McGee: "Whenever your ready but I need you to let Gibbs know I came to Tony's last night when I left his house, like he asked me to, so I could keep my eye on him. But he might want to come over here and talk to Tony because he is anything but ok. He drank hisself to sleep last night mumbling about how much he loves her. But as soon as he got up I tried talking to him but he just ignored me and started drinking again. I can't get him to stop. He says he wants to be numb so he doesn't feel the pain. I have no idea what he's talking about. I'm worried about him."

Abby: "Oh my gosh. He is totally hurt by what happened last night."

Gibbs: "I'm on my way McGee."

Abby: "I'll meet you at the café on 13th avenue at noon?"

McGee: "Ok see you then."

Gibbs gets ready to go and Ziva started to head out the door. Gibbs stops her.

Gibbs: "Let me go get him sober and showered, then Abby came drop you off on the way to meet McGee for lunch, so the two of you can talk."

Ziva: "Ok."

Gibbs leaves, which leaves Ziva and Abby standing there not sure what to do.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Tony's Apartment

Gibbs arrives and gets Tony sober. After he gets him sober he has a heart to heart with his senior field agent.

Gibbs: "Don't beat yourself up DiNozzo. She cares about you too. She is just overwhelmed about everything that has happened. She is going to come over in about 30 minutes, so you better go get a shower."

Tony: "On it boss."

Gibbs: "Hey DiNozzo."

Tony: "Yeah boss."

Gibbs: "I have decided to throw rule # 12 out."

Tony leaves the room to go take a shower and get ready. While he is doing that Gibbs tries to clean up Tony's apartment some. Once Tony comes back into the living room Gibbs tells him that Ziva is on her way up so he'll be going.

Tony: "Thanks boss."

Gibbs: "Don't break her heart DiNozzo."

Tony waits for her to get there. Once he sees her down the hall he can't help the smile that spread over his face. When they enter his apartment they sit down on opposite ends of his couch. They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing where to start or what to say. Tony decides he should be the one to start.

Tony: "I think we have a lot to talk about."

Ziva: "Yes we do."

Tony: "I'm sorry I hurt you. I don't regret…"

Ziva: "Don't Tony. I had a lot of time to think over everything. I forgive you. I'm not mad at you. I know you were only trying to protect me. It was just easier to blame you, be angry with you, even though I knew all along deep down that you would never hurt me if you could help it. But after everything that I said and did why did you come to Africa, especially if you thought I was dead?"

Tony: " These past few months have been hell without you. I realized a lot of things. When I heard you were dead, it was like I died to. I was serious when I said I couldn't live without you. I went on the mission even though I thought you were dead because part of me wanted to die too, and the other part wanted to kill the bastards that did it. When they brought you in there and I saw you were alive, nothing mattered to me but getting you home safely. I realized that I am in love with you and have been for sometime."

Ziva: "I am in love with you, too. I also have been for sometime."

At that they slide closer on the couch and kiss each other. It starts out as a sweet kiss but quickly turns into a passionate one. They don't break the kiss until it becomes absolutely necessary to breath. They spend the rest of the day hanging out on Tony's couch watching movies, talking, gaining back what was there between them before. As it got later, Tony's cell phone rang. It was Gibbs.

Tony: "DiNozzo."

Gibbs: "How are you two doing?"

Tony: "Better. We're taking it slow, but we'll figure it all out as we go."

Gibbs: "Good. See if you can get her to sleep. She didn't last night at all. I think she's scared of the what might happen when she goes to sleep. She doesn't want us to see her at a weakened state. I think she will be ok with you."

Tony: "On it boss. Oh and boss, thanks."

Tony hangs up with Gibbs. Ziva ask what he wanted and Tony tells her that he wanted me to just keep you here tonight since you were already here. After they watch one more movie they get ready to go to bed. Ziva goes into the bathroom and changes into one of Tony's shirts while Tony stripes down to his boxers and pulls back the covers. Once they climb into the bed Ziva admits she is scared to go to sleep. Tony grabs her and tells her he won't let go, she will be safe here, he won't let anybody get here ever again. After that Tony reaches over and turns out the lamp beside the bed.

Tony: "Goodnight. I love you, sweetcheeks."

Ziva: "Goodnight. I love you too, my hairy butt."

Tony reached over wrapped his arms around Ziva to pull her close to him, and for the first time since she stepped off the plane she feels like she is finally safe and truly home.

The End.


End file.
